The brother of a woman killed in the Cardiff hit-and-run rampage today paid tribute to her as a heroine who sacrificed her own life to save her children.

Karina Menzies, 32, was walking outside the fire station on Cowbridge Road West with her children when a white van - which injured more than a dozen others in a 30-minute terror spree - careered towards them.

Ms Menzies bravely threw her children out of the way, her brother Craig Menzies said today.

He told Radio 5 Live the driver targeted his family.

"He went through the traffic, aimed for them and then just hit them head on," Mr Menzies said.

"She just screamed and threw them out of the way as much as she could.

"He still clipped them but she took it head-on. She saved their lives."

He told the programme it was "a waste of a life", adding: "She was the world to me.

"She was my best friend. She was a lively, bubbly person.

"There's just so many good things you could say about her. We'll all be lost without her."

Ms Menzies' family also issued a statement saying: "Karina was a lovely girl.

A special church service will be held later on Sunday in Ely

"She lived for her kids and her brothers and sisters and everything she did was for her family.

"She was a good friend to everyone and was well thought of in the community. She will be sorely missed by everyone."

Murder squad detectives continue to question a 31-year-old man over the bloodshed with nine victims still being treated in hospital.

Two of the injured adults were in a critical condition and five children were also receiving treatment after the mayhem on Friday afternoon in the Welsh capital.

South Wales Police were last night granted a further 36 hours to detain and question the arrested man.

Detective Superintendent Paul Hurley said the suspect carried a weapon and left his Iveco van to physically assault people.

Police want to identify and recover the weapon, which was believed to be a crook lock.

There were also unconfirmed reports that police were investigating if the driver was involved in a domestic incident before the rampage.

Police said a key part of the inquiry was focused on establishing who owns the white van.

Witnesses were urged to get in touch and asked for information about a mystery black Renault Clio, on a 05 registration plate, seen driving on the wrong side of the road of Western Avenue, not far from Cowbridge Road West.

The first incident to be reported was in Crossways Road in Ely at 3.30pm.

This was soon followed by other reports of hit-and-run collisions in several locations in the west of the city, including Grand Avenue, Cowbridge Road West and the Leckwith Retail Park.

A special church service will be held later today in Ely, Cardiff, in support of the victims and their families.